A Guide to Raising Snake Spirits - Chapter 14

Guanyue Xi really wanted to know: exactly how many more surprises did Shiraishi Hare have up his sleeve?

Walking into the house, Guanyue Xi’s father was dressed in a full set of fisherman’s sun-protection gear—sun-hoodie, neck gaiter, and bucket hat looking every bit the unremarkable middle-aged man.

Shiraishi Hare, aside from the standard-issue Sentinel uniform peeking out from underneath, was dressed in an identical set of fishing gear. To accommodate the hat, he had let his long grey hair down, transforming into a surprisingly down-to-earth, handsome fisherman.

In his hand, Shiraishi carried a large bucket filled with interstellar aquatic life. Guanyue Xi estimated it weighed over ten kilograms, yet the Sentinel carried it effortlessly, his expression perfectly composed.

“Xiao Hare is quite impressive! It’s rare to find a young man with such patience these days,” Guanyue Xi’s father chuckled, gesturing for Shiraishi to set the bucket down.

His mother piped up from the side to defend Guanyue Xi’s honour. “Our Xiao Xi isn’t bad either! He used to catch crabs back in the day.”

Guanyue Xi winced at the memory. He had gone out fishing with his father as a child and been tricked into wading into the water to play. A small river crab had clamped onto his toe, making him howl in pain; they’d eventually had to go to the hospital just to get it removed. After that, no matter how much his father coaxed him, little Guanyue Xi refused to go back.

Still, he couldn’t help but lean in to see what they’d caught.

Guanyue Xi squatted by the bucket. Inside were common red Bibbi fish, along with small shrimp and river crabs a dense, wriggling mass of fresh catch.

He felt a wave of goosebumps and stood back up, rubbing his arms.

In the past, when his father came back with enough fish to thinly cover the bottom of the bucket, it was considered a “bountiful harvest.”

Having a tireless fishing buddy who never returned empty-handed was a dream. Forget the fishing rods a Sentinel could probably just jump in, swim a few laps, and scoop them up by hand. No wonder his father had taken such a liking to him.

Guanyue Xi hadn’t told his parents the truth about Shiraishi’s origins; he didn’t want them to worry. He’d simply said he was a friend from the Tower a late-awakening Sentinel whose family was gone.

With his parents present, he couldn’t very well lash out about the previous night’s “incident.” He had to wait until his parents were occupied before dragging Shiraishi upstairs.

“You said you remembered something what was it? Why on earth did you have to find me in the middle of the night?” Guanyue Xi finally blurted out the question he’d been holding back all day.

Shiraishi looked as calm as if the previous night had never happened, but he was quite cooperative in his explanation.

“I remembered a few things from the desolate planet.”

Guanyue Xi nodded. “Give me the details.”

Just as Shiraishi was about to speak, his father’s voice drifted up from downstairs.

“Xiao Xi! Dinner’s ready! Where did you two run off to?”

His family didn’t cook for themselves; the smart home system handled most of the chores. All they had to do was tell the assistant what they wanted to eat.

Guanyue Xi: “…”

Shiraishi looked at Guanyue Xi, and Guanyue Xi looked back. They stared at each other for a long moment.

Recalling the Sentinel’s voracious appetite, the Guide caved.

“You’d better tell me everything the second we finish eating.”

Shiraishi: “Okay.”

The aquatic creatures Shiraishi and his father had hauled back were prepared into dishes and laid out on the table.

Hard-working and with a healthy appetite Shiraishi was exactly the type of person his parents loved. He ticked both boxes, winning them over completely. The dinner table was filled with constant laughter.

After the meal, Guanyue Xi’s mother beckoned to Shiraishi. “Xiao Hare, do you want to see our family albums? I’ve even got photos of Guanyue Xi in a dress when he was little.”

His father let out a loud laugh, intercepting his mother. “You forgot—the albums got water-damaged last time. They still need to be restored.”

Taking his chance, Guanyue Xi used the excuse of “needing to discuss something” to reclaim Shiraishi from his parents’ enthusiastic chatter.

Afraid of being interrupted again, he dragged Shiraishi up the stairs, into his room, and slammed the door.

Guanyue Xi let out a breath and pointed to a chair. “Sit.”

Shiraishi sat down obediently, hands resting on his knees.

“What did you remember?” Guanyue Xi asked.

“I remembered a few things from before I met you. They’re very fragmented.”

Shiraishi described the memories: laboratories, strange machines. While it was better than total amnesia, it was still just a few scattered clues about his origins.

As Guanyue Xi listened, a bold theory began to form in his mind. Perhaps the dreams he’d been having were Shiraishi Hare’s memories. In the dreams, although he couldn’t see his own face, the hair brushing against his cheeks had been grey.

People on the Special Star could have hair of any colour, but grey wasn’t exactly a dime a dozen.

Add to that their Level 3 compatibility—it wasn’t impossible that some quirk of their mental link was causing him to dream of Shiraishi’s past.

But why was it happening? The trigger mechanism remained a mystery. The content of the dreams was limited to Shiraishi’s broken memories; whether he would dream of more in the future was an open question.

He would have to keep a close watch for any patterns.

Guanyue Xi asked him again, “Why did you come to find me in the middle of the night?”

Shiraishi stared into the Guide’s grey-blue eyes. “Instinct. I woke up from a dream and wanted to find you.”

Guanyue Xi choked, his composure nearly crumbling. He didn’t know what expression to make.

Is this Sentinel becoming more savvy? He felt like Shiraishi hadn’t been like this before; a single week at the Tower had made him surprisingly slick.

Guanyue Xi muttered a quick “I see” and practically bolted from the room, moving with a speed that rivalled a Sentinel’s.

His feelings toward Shiraishi were becoming complicated. He had been a firm believer in the “No-Bonding” lifestyle, but now he was in the middle of an initial bond. High compatibility meant that, on every level, they were naturally attracted to each other.

Appearance, personality—Shiraishi Hare was exactly his type.

The wavy grey hair, the wolf-like green eyes, the rugged face and despite his fragile mental state, he had a lean, explosive physique.

Unbidden, the image of Shiraishi’s half-human, half-snake form flashed through his mind: the slightly defined pectoral muscles, the sharp eight-pack abs, and the V-taper leading down to that massive serpent’s tail.

Guanyue Xi was ready to surrender.

A man who perfectly matched his aesthetic and who was his biological “other half” in terms of special-species gender—was repeatedly making advances. Guanyue Xi was a smart man; he wasn’t blind to it.

But he also knew that Shiraishi Hare was the type of person who, once he bit into something, would never let go. His possessiveness and obsession were absolute.

Furthermore, the nature of a permanent bond meant that while they could choose their own lifestyles before bonding, they were inseparable until death afterward.

Guanyue Xi couldn’t accept being tethered to another person for the rest of his life, even if it was his nature as a Guide. Sentinels could choose to be Dark Sentinels; Guides could choose to be single or stay with ordinary people.

No matter how much they were attracted to each other, this point was non-negotiable.

Guanyue Xi chased freedom; Shiraishi Hare sought stability.

The Guide sighed. It wasn’t like he could just break it off right now anyway; they still had over two months of the initial bond left, and Shiraishi’s mental realm still needed major renovations. He wasn’t in mortal danger anymore, but he was far from fixed. He would just have to take it one step at a time.

Feeling a bit melancholy, Guanyue Xi headed downstairs.

Shiraishi Hare didn’t get up after Guanyue Xi bolted. He watched the Guide’s slightly panicked back as he left. He heard the hurried footsteps nearly collide with the doorframe before slowing down, followed by the sound of him walking downstairs.

Shiraishi was grateful for everything Guanyue Xi had given him bringing him home, introducing him to his parents, and letting him experience a normal family life.

But it wasn’t enough.

These were acts of the Guide’s kindness, but what he wanted wasn’t this. Or rather, not just this. What truly drew him in was something inherent to Guanyue Xi himself.

He wanted to pursue Guanyue Xi.

But pursuit required equality. Currently, whether in terms of ability, social status, or identity, he was entirely dependent on Guanyue Xi.

He had entered the Special Star because Guanyue Xi had saved him. His recovery, aside from his own healing factor, was thanks to Guanyue Xi’s help. Even his home was Guanyue Xi’s apartment.

Shiraishi didn’t know if everyone on the Special Star helped strangers this much just because of compatibility; in his experience, they didn’t.

So, he had to become stronger. At the very least, he needed to ensure Guanyue Xi’s investment in him saw a return, so he could pursue the Guide as an equal.

His desire for power had never been stronger.

After spending the weekend at his parents’ house, Guanyue Xi firmly refused the bizarre “local specialities” his mother tried to pack for him. He and Shiraishi took the skyrail back to the Tower.

He hadn’t had any new dreams since that night. He felt like something had shifted in his dynamic with Shiraishi, yet nothing had truly changed. Shiraishi was still beloved by his parents, and the Sentinel hadn’t said anything world-shaking to him since.

He felt that even if Shiraishi stood by his bed at midnight again, he could probably handle it with a relatively calm mind.

The technology of the Special Star was truly at its peak. The streamlined skyrail was incredibly fast, smooth, and near-silent, making it a painless journey even for a Sentinel. The seats, made of ergonomic soft-touch materials, adapted to the passenger’s shape; whether you were 180cm or 150cm, you could find a comfortable position.

Guanyue Xi and Shiraishi sat side-by-side.

Suddenly remembering something, Guanyue Xi turned to Shiraishi. “I think you should still make time to go to the hospital for another check-up.”

“I’ll follow your lead,” Shiraishi nodded.

The next second, a thunderous explosion rocked the carriage, and the world turned upside down.

Guanyue Xi’s pupils dilated. He didn’t know what was happening; the last image burned into his retina was Shiraishi Hare’s hand reaching out to grab him.

Support A Guide to Raising Snake Spirits